The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-06-24

please do not consider me impolite if
refuse. have severe headache after
my hard days travel in coming here,
and must retire. Good evening. gen.
temen.'' and with this he left them.
"Wall. hang up my pick and shovel
if that amt the queerest chaprve seed
in long time" was the exclamation
Gerald heard as he stepped out.
His first inclination was to go to his
room, but on second consideration he
decided to take a moonlight stroll ovel
his new home. Thoughts came fast a
he walked about the now quiet and de
serted streets.
81 have decided to begin life anew, p"
he said to himself. "All that cared tc
live for has vanished. She has gone
from me and life seems blank. The
past is dead. why should not Gerald
Chambers be dead. BY jove. here's an
| idea" Thus he walked about sOloquiz-
ing and formulating plans for the fu-
ture.
.'Here am. he continued, a "strang.
er in a strange land. No one here knows
me, nor where come from. Thoughts OF
the past are bitter and harrow my soul,
and the very sound of my own name
has grown distasteful to me. There
can be no harm in it. BY jove. I'll do
it." and with this las. resolve he re-
turned to the "Nosepaint' and re-
tired.
From that moment Gerald Chambers
was dead to the world. When he
looked about next day for some BUSH
ness opportunity the inhabitants knew
him as James johnson. a man who had
met financial reverses i'm the East, and
like themselves. had drifted to Oreton
in hopes of replenishing his empty
Golfers.
As time wore on his superior quail
ties generally and many amiable traits
won him the friendship and esteem of
the entire community. His appear
ance and bearing gained him the re-
spect of all. He was prosperous be-
yond his most sanguinc expectations
and in short time became the leading
spirit in all enterprises. His enthusi-
asm i'm matters pertaining 70 the well
fare of Oreton was unbOunded, and
public honors were placed at his dis
posal. Every body had a good word
for James johnson.
Ten years works wonders. The little
mining camp of Oreton was now a
prosperous city. Large buildings had
been erected, and in place of the once
famous 'Nosepaint" Hotel a substan-
tial four-story structure had been built
for the same purpose by James john
son, who was now looked upon and
recognized as the leading man of the
place.
Ten years had not entirely sufficed to
obliterate the scar upon his heart, and
the fact of his still being unmarried
proved his fidelity to his first love. But
this was soon to change-sooncr than
he anticipated. Time is great healer
of mental wounds, and he who had re-
solved never to wed unless it be to Har-
riet Lane, would shortly find himself
growing well and strong once more.
Orcton had become quite an objective
point for summer tourists, and even
though half score years had passed,
johnson occasionally saw people whom
he had known in his earlier life-when
he was Gerald Chambers. But no one
recognized him; his full beard was alone
sufficient to prevent this. The johnson
HOuse-as the citizens insisted the new
hotel should be called-being the lead
ing hostelry of the city. was, of course.
frequcnted by the better class of
tourists.
Among the latter this summer were
two ladies. Miss DeBar and her maid.
The former wore deep black costume,
manifesting the fact that she had prob
ably sustained some serious family
afflictiOn. and her general appearance
indicated, that she was in poor health.
Mr.. johnson at once felt a kindly inter-
est in the lady, and CLEANED from her
the fact of her fathers death; that she
had been i'll for some time. and that
her physician had advised her to make
u tour of the West.
As the time passed and the intimacy
between them became more marked, he
confessed to himself that he loved the
beautiful invalid. She gratefully ac-
ceptcd all the little kind offices which
he bestowed on her, and matters pro-
crossed favorably between them.
But all summers have an end. and
with the end of this one came a tempo
rary end to johnson cherished dreams.
Miss DeBar was very reticent in regard
to her family affairs, merely mention
ing that her father was dead and
that her home was in New York.
As we said before, all things
must come to close. and when, there
fore. she announced that her depart
ure i'm few days was a necessity, he
grew unaccountably sad. He would
gladly have asked her to remain and
share his all, but he could not. A
strange. inward feeling advised him
otherwise, and so he followed the die
:ates of his conscience and rcfrained
from mentioning that which would
have made him a happy man.
On the day of Miss DeBar's depart
ure he was. much to his regret. sud-
denly called away to a neighboring
city on business matters of great i'm
portancc. He was in hope of receiv-
ing an invitation to visit her, for DUR